Altruistic Shorts
by Gomp
Summary: These are a collection of short stories. They are meant to be uplifting, inspirational, and encouraging. There is some romance, sorrow, and happiness to be found in these tales. Please enjoy.
1. Heaven

**Heaven**

By Gomp

Random Short- Takes place at the end of series, before the movie.

Word Count- 357  
EdXWin

I don't own Fma.

Ps: Inspiration can be found in some of the most obvious places.  
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An angel had spoken to me once.

Yea, you think I'm kidding? I thought it was a joke myself! I don't believe in religious crap, but I swear an angel one day flew from the sky and sat by my window. I had to look twice before I was sure I was seeing right. I mean, this angel just sat there by my window staring at me. I watched it for awhile, not sure what to do. I mean, come-on, a thing of beauty that has these two huge wings? What a joke.

So after awhile of making shooing motions and shaking my head- making sure my brain was still there, I finally opened my window. The angel nodded its thanks, stepping into my room with much grace.

Ok, so what next? I looked at this person with long blonde hair almost to the waist and these huge sea blue eyes which you could compare to the ocean. I asked, "Am I seeing things?" The angel shook its head, a slight curve of the lips.

The angel said, "Hey Ed, you want to sit down and have a chat with me?" I laughed so hard I had to hold my sides. This had to be a joke! An angel… in my room… wanting to sit down and have a chat? So I sat down, I wanted to hear what this thing had to say.

I said, "Ok, so what do you want to talk about?"

There was a moment of silence, the angel standing there looking at me. Slowly my smile slipped away.

In an instant the angel grabbed me- pulling me close. It never said a thing, just held me. I didn't know what to say, what the hell to do. Slowly the wings faded, the feathers disintegrating. I wrapped my arms around the angels waist, feeling warmth and comfort which I longed for.

When I finally pulled away, Winry smiled and vanished into my dreams.

I was back in Germany, alone once again.

You know, I might not be religious or anything… but at that moment I realized that heaven really wasn't that far away. Go figure.


	2. Last Followed Footprints

**Last Followed Footprints**  
By Gomp

Random Short Story- Takes place during the movie. This is an idea I have wanted to always do. What would Ed's and Hohenheim's last 'moment' really be like?

Word Count- 1,385  
My dedication to Hohopa... in a strange sort of way.  
Ed's point-of-view

Thank you redrose999 from LJ for your suggestions!

I don't own Fma.  
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It was cold. My muscles were always extra sensitive to the cold because of my fake limbs. Oh-well, with the passing years I had just learned to adapt.

My feet sunk into the thick snow, leaving shoe imprints in my wake.

The wind was like ice. I felt my cheeks sting with the cold sensation, my scarf only did so much against the culprit. I walked beside footprints of a previous trekker. The prints were large, it made my feet look like they belonged to a child. I thought I had grown up…that I wasn't a child anymore…

I followed the trail of prints. The snow seemed to get deeper the longer I walked… the longer I followed. The snow was about knee deep when at its deepest, but my pace did not waver no matter how deep it was. I was determined.

There was a small hill, you might even say a miniature mountain. I was surprised when I realized the foot prints lead up the side of it. There were trees covering the side of the hill, they looked like large snow cones. The trees were so white, the only thing that told you it was a tree was by the pure chance that you caught sight of the concealed trunk.

I grabbed onto the branch's of the trees to help me up the side of the hill. My eyes scanned upward, I had a long way to go. The snow shook off every time I grabbed a branch, revealing the pine needles hiding underneath. I kept fighting against the thick snow and the narrow rising slope until the footprints finally lead me to a more flat surface. The footprints kept going, winding around the trees, calmly passing dead bush's.

Finally the trees began to separate. The outline of a figure became visual. The snapping of a stick under my artificial foot rang out.

"Took you long enough."

The wind suddenly picked up. It was stronger up on the hill top. My hair flew around, blinding me momentarily.

"Come take a seat next to me." The figure spoke with such softness.

My teeth chattered ever so slightly. As the wind calmed I pushed my bangs away from my eyes. I took a step forward. My fake leg felt heavy all of the sudden. It was colder on top of the hill, my metal joint feeling even more stiff then before. I bit down on my lip as I forced my leg to move. I kept walking until I finally stood behind the figure.

"Edward, sit down."

I finally spoke. "I thought you said you were going on a short walk." I lifted an eyebrow. I didn't know if I should be annoyed or find it almost humorous, his 'short walk' was almost like a mini-adventure.

The man looked at me, pointing to the ground almost demandingly. "Sit."

I groaned, now annoyed that he was bossing me around. The only reason I did what he said was because my legs were so stiff, that's all.

My feet dangled over the side of the cliff. It was a long drop below, 80-100ft maybe. The snow covered land beyond stretched as far as the eye could see. There were other hills like the one we sat on off in the distance. If I squinted and looked really hard, I could make out a distant yellow light far in the depths of the snow. The sky was graying, the world darkening. The yellow light came from a window in a house, I was sure. Someone was home, maybe with a family, enjoying the comfort of their cozy dwelling. I shivered slightly as I pulled my jacket closer. I had to admit, the thought of being somewhere warm sounded rather tempting.

"You followed me." The mans voice was so deep that it just begged you to relax. I didn't like the way his voice made me feel.

"You said you were going to take a short walk." I looked down at my feet. My human foot swayed slightly back and forth over the edge of the cliff. I closed my eyes. "Every time we are… at a disagreement and you say you're taking a short walk, you don't return for a few hours. I was curious." We had been in an argument. We argued a lot actually, usually over the same things. My ambitions of returning home being one of them.

"You were worried?"

My eyes narrowed as they glared at the man. "Curious." I corrected him.

He nodded. "Curious." He repeated the word. His lips turned ever so slightly, but not enough for me to become weary.

So now I knew the truth. When my father and I argued, he snuck away to the most secluded area in the world. Ok, maybe not in the world, but a rather secluded area in Germany… a rare sight to have.

We stayed silent. Neither of us saying a word. The snow slowly began to fall again. Small cold flakes falling onto the tip of my nose, melting against my warm skin.

The wind picked up. I closed my eyes, feeling it toy with my hair and the end of my scarf.

Germany wasn't such a bad place really, but no matter how hard I tried I could never forget my home.

My eyes opened, catching sight of that yellow light again. It was harder to see now since the snow was falling. I glanced at my father. Did he see the light?

I wanted to ask him 'Do you see it? Do you see that light in the depths of this darkening world?'. I wanted to point at the light, make sure he saw it.

I wanted to ask him if he understood it. That loan shinning light in the depths of the dark cold world was like my dreams. I looked back to the light. It reminded me of my dreams of returning home, back to the world I belonged. Even though my chances of returning were slim- the odds were against me, I still dreamt of returning. Of finding that light in the dark.

My tongue felt stiff. "It doesn't seem that far away…"

My father looked at me. "What?"

I shook my head. I didn't think he could understand. I didn't really feel like trying to explain. Why was it so hard to talk to my father? "It's cold."

…because he had once abandoned me.

My father nodded. "That it is."

He was always like that, always making me say what I was trying to imply. "Let's go."

He stood easily, lifting his legs over the cliff. Me on the other hand, had to struggle with my fake one. The heavy limb had to be lifted with my hands.

I finally stood myself, brushing the cold snow off my pants.

"It should be interesting getting down the hill." My father had said with a quirk of a brow. I knew what he was hinting at, but my fake limb had never stopped me before.

Gesturing with my thumb, I pointed back the way we had both came. "It's getting dark."

My father shrugged his large shoulders and began to walk ahead. My father was a man with a broad stature, I was so small compared to him. For some reason I felt I would never grow up when I was around him. I always felt so young…

I always hated that feeling.

As my father walked away I took one last glance towards the light.

I had planned to one day tell my father about the house…. the light shinning brightly compared to the dark surrounding world. One day I had planned to tell him about how I felt. One day I had planned to tell him so many hidden secrets. Oh god, one day I had planned to tell him everything.

I just never realized that would be one of the last moments I would really have with him.

After that day my father and I had split ways, it was only supposed to be momentarily. A few months at most. The spring had come, the snow had melted.

The next time I saw him…

Envy had finally found his revenge.

The light became dim and then suddenly clicked out.


	3. Knowing Someone

**Knowing Someone**  
By Gomp

Short Story- Takes place at the end of series, dismissing the movie. Ed did find a way home and now lives with the Rockbells. Winry and Ed are both 20.

Word Count- 768  
EdXWin

I don't own Fma.  
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You think you know someone, it's a major surprise when you find out you really don't. I grew up with Winry, she was one of my best friends. I thought I knew everything about her…favorite color, favorite food, favorite crayons…

Maybe at one point I truly did know everything about her. Then what happened?

I went away to the military, then vanished from this universe for a few years. I guess that's what happened.

Well, I was back… and I feel like I knew nothing. Me, the genius, know nothing? Who would have ever thought…

Al had changed, that was something I had to quickly accept when I was told of the conditions for him to return normal. His and my relationship was still slightly shaky, but we were working together, figuring everything out.

Winry on the other hand… it was hard for us to try to relate. I would offer her a chocolate cookie, thinking it was her favorite, only to find out she now loved oatmeal and raisin. When did that come about? She used to hate raisins and now she loved them! It was a major shocker.

I don't want to make it out that I'm complaining… ok, really I am. But I'm not blaming anyone but myself for not knowing this.

I think the moment I discovered how much Winry had changed was this one afternoon when we were in the kitchen. I asked her what she was up to for that day, she had giggled at my question. First off, Winry giggle? When we were kids she would have punched me and told me 'hangin' out with you stupid'. Now she giggled and told me she was going out with friends. There were no fireworks or flashing lights going off in my head, it was just this deep sinking feeling going 'oh shit… Winry has other friends?'. Sure, she did have some friends growing up, but she saw them more in class then anywhere else.

After that it did become extremely hard to relate anymore. I was busy with my brother while Winry did what she did best… auto-mail. Now and then we would cross paths (we did live in the same house after all) and we would offer a small smile to each other, but that was all.

This one afternoon I had slept in, woke up with a beam of sunshine hitting me right in the eyes. And then bam, I felt alone. I don't know why it hit me that day, there wasn't anything special about that day at all. But like a thousand needles striking me at once, I realized just how alone I truly was. I made some mistakes, I worked hard to correct them, I finally get back and found myself more lonely then I had ever been. Yea, I did have my brother but we were still trying to learn about each other. Granny was getting old, she was not as interactive as she used to be… and Winry.

So I got out of bed, dressed myself. From that day on I kept a close eye on her.

Ha, so you think going on a dangerous mission would be a lot harder then figuring out an old friend. Yea right, I would take a dangerous mission given by Mustang any day. Winry was a needle in a haystack… and I mean one big ass haystack.

I think for awhile I actually ticked Winry off cause I hung around so much. I got a few wrench's tossed at me, I just learned to duck. But when I get determined, I remain determined. Slowly as time passed I accumulated the new knowledge I would need to rebuild my old friend. I think Winry did the same, she was surprised to learn that my favorite color was not red anymore, it was a dark blue. She could not believe that I preferred fall now over summer or that I had a secret love for trains.

So you live, you laugh, you learn, and well… ha, you begin to really enjoy someone you can be close with.

It does suck when you're so sure you know someone so well… then find out it's not true. But at the same time, it can be fantastic and amazing just to learn who someone is, learn new things you would have never thought to be true.

Her favorite color was not pink anymore, it was yellow. Ha, she didn't like crayons anymore, just this one wrench she adored.

Anyways, I kid you not...you live, you laugh, you learn, and maybe one day… not so far away… you might even begin to love.


	4. Starry Night

**Starry Night**

By Gomp

Random Drabble- Takes place at the end of series, dismissing the movie. Ed found a way home.

Word Count- 324

EdXWin Hints

I don't own Fma.

* * *

When you're a kid you have these crazy dreams, crazy ambitions. Al wanted to become a teacher. Winry… well, hers was always to become a mechanic- but she dreamed of making different things. Both of them had so many dreams.

I'm sure I had many dreams myself, but it was funny, I didn't remember any of them...

No matter how hard I tried to remember, I didn't recall a single dream I had as a child. Did I want to become a teacher or a mechanic myself? How about a doctor or someone famous? No… maybe I didn't want any of those things.

As I laid in the grass I used my metal fingers to trace the starry sky. I breathed a sigh of relief. Really, it was ok that I didn't remember my dreams. The world kept spinning as my life continued onwards.

I blinked when I suddenly felt the soft touch of someone's finger gently running down my cheek. I slowly turned my head and found a pair of ocean blue eyes looking at me. "Are you ready to go?" A voice as soft as steady waves of a sea asked.

Without even a thought I felt my lips turn ever so slightly upwards. "If that's what you want."

The eyes that mirrored the ocean turned to the person to their other side. "Let's go Al."

I sat up in a sitting position as I saw Winry and Al both stand. My human brother brushed the dirt off his pants while Winry grabbed the blanket that she had been laying on.

I looked back to the starry sky. It was a clear night, it looked like an endless black sea sprinkled with twinkling diamonds.

It didn't matter what my dreams used to be, those times were gone.

"Ed, are you coming?"

My future was like the sky, clear and shining brightly ahead.


	5. Droplet of Memories

**Droplet of Memories**  
By Gomp

Random Drabble- Takes place in the middle of the tv series... no real setting.

Word Count-171  
Ed's point-of-view

I don't own Fma.

* * *

You know- I have heard so many stories of these people who have lived these rough lives, but dwell on everything. Was mine rough? I lost two limbs, lost my mother twice, and lost my brother's body. 

It had rained that faithful day, oh god it had rained.

I try not to dwell at all, what's the point? I search for the answers I need, correct the mistakes I made.

But whenever it rains…

I will move forward, never stop till I complete everything that needs to be completed.

When it rains, I look up and extend my human hand towards the sky, in hopes of capturing a few droplets. They're always cold and seep between my fingers, but for that faithful moment as the droplets fall away; I give woe to the memory of that faithful day.

Cause no matter what…you can't stop the rain from falling. You can't change the past.

As the rain begins to pound down all I can do is throw my head back and remember.


End file.
